


Ripen Fruit Ch 2

by anotherwriter



Series: The Batman Series [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Begging, Comforting, Crying, Damsels in Distress, F/M, Harassment, Nightmares, Sexual Harassment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:15:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29339667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherwriter/pseuds/anotherwriter
Summary: As I watched, Batman held him in the air. I slowly backed into the wall behind me and when I reached it, I slid down until I was on the ground with my knee bent in front of me. I stared up at them both, with wide terrified eyes, still unable to move further. My hands were on the ground beside me, shaking over the ground as a small whimper came out of me.."Eduardo Garcia, also known as Savage, you are wanted for various crimes," Batman said, level and calm.Then he slammed him on the ground so fast his back legs didn't hit the ground for a second or two after the rest of his body. Eduardo gasped when Batman let go of his throat from having the breath knocked out of him. He reached into Eduardo's jacket going straight to where his gun had been, then he went straight to two more places on him where he had knives. He disassembled the gun into as many pieces as were possible to put the spring in his belt with the knives. Then he finished patting down the rest of him."ain't no super criminal holmes!! You bustin a nigga up for trying to get some trim?" He gasped.
Relationships: Dom Batman - Relationship, Sub Annabella
Series: The Batman Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155113





	Ripen Fruit Ch 2

I paced back and forth a few times before finally leaning on the ledge of the roof. Gotham city's brightly lit skyline stretched out before me. It had only been three days since I had seen him, but I felt obligated to contact him like I owed him. I mean what if i just never contacted him. Is that wrong or ungrateful? Would I look like a jerk if I didn't try and work with him? I always paced on the roof contemplating this and also always at night. The reason was because if I was going to contact him, it would be on the roof and at night for obvious reasons.

“ugh!” I pushed away from the top of the building and started pacing again.

how was I supposed to choose something like this? I mean either way I choose, I could really push myself into a bad or a good direction. the way I looked at it, if I choose to see him again and let him in on all my secrets for the purpose of better protecting me and being cooperative then the private conversation would mean just that: private.

He seemed rational, but would it be too tempting for him if we were alone again? If I choose not to cooperate, what if he could help me? what if i could be giving up a chance to be spared an attack or the chance of finding out more about my past all because I couldn't trust the right person? Johnny told me he was the only one I could trust, that everyone else out there, especially men, would always seek to manipulate and take advantage of me.

After a few minutes of pacing I started looking around at the roofs across the street. we were isolated, on the edge of the harbor. We were the only building on this side of the road and even the courtyard in the back had a high brick wall around it for privacy. I didn't know what I was looking for. I just felt like I was looking for something obvious, something that was right in front of me and that was the answer. The answer was looking back at me curious and also very suspicious.

I gave up and decided I would think on it some more. the next night, it was no better nor the night after that. it became a routine. I would pace, sometimes talk to myself a bit in short exclamations of frustration and try to come up with the best answer. some nights I would stop at some point and scan the roof tops, that feeling that something was still right in front of me. The feeling was so overwhelming sometimes it would stop me dead in my tracks to look around.

I was just plain scared though, that was all I could realize now. Frightened of angering him if I chose not to contact him after what he had done for me and what could happen to me if I didn't cooperate. What if he wouldn't help me again because I was seeming ungrateful?

I was scared of what he might do to me if I contacted him too. Would he take it the wrong way and when he offered his help, did he mean it a different way than I took it? I was scared no matter which way I chose and felt like I was chosen out of fear no matter what I did, like always. I hated the feeling of fear driving my decisions, but I didn’t see a way around it. I did know that I wanted so badly to trust him and wanted to feel like that wouldn’t change, that I could trust him.

“I can't do this,” I shook my head at the ground.

Dropping my hands from covering my face, I went inside for the 11th night in a row. it was so pathetic that I wasted so much time up here just trying to decide what to do, but I wanted to pace and act crazy in private. it’s not like I had anything better to do or like I was getting a lot of sleep lately. Besides, it was so nice to be outside. Johnny never let me outside. I also kept having nightmares about the gas station… two nights later I was standing with my back to the ledge, my eyes shut as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I had been doing this for what felt like at least 20 minutes.  
“miss. Annabella,” a deep familiar voice startled me.

I flew backwards when his voice sent me into retreat with no regard for the ledge behind me. the edge of the ledge working with my momentum to teater me over. I screamed and threw my hands up to protect my face. I only caught a glimpse of Batman, who was already coming towards me with his hands out to grab me. I knew there was no way he could cross that kind of distance in time.  
I saw the dark sky above and tried to grip onto the ledge, but I was already way past the point of that doing any good. my nails scraped against the brick and my feet wailed up in front of me, kicking them in what I knew was a hopeless effort to try and right myself. I felt something hard come between my legs, hardness came around me to stop my descent just as my butt was starting to slide off the edge completely. I was pulled in closer, his arms came around me fully and my legs opened and came down as he came in to grab me.

I was just beginning to see gothams skyline in my peripheral vision when it was filled with the night sky again as I was righted. Batman's masked face rushed to me, concerned and tense. we came towards each other so fast I was sure I was about to get a busted face, but he moved to the side and guided me into his shoulder. We collided hard enough to stun me as the air was forced out by the impact. I wrapped my arms and legs around him to mount myself, so scared I would somehow fall again. I gripped around his back hard as I let out several breaths of hysteria.

I clutched him tightly, going over the edge seeming to have literally sent me over the edge for a minute or two. I could see nothing now, but his biceps and some of his chest as I tried to catch my breath. I had been on edge for the last two weeks and he kinda uncorked it for a sec. Christ that was scary… I almost fell off the building… like almost died...  
“I'm sorry, I tried not to startle you,” I could hear the tension in his voice then I noticed the tension in his body.

it was coming off of him in waves and I knew it had to be because we were so close. He’d slowly lifted his arms off of me and held them around me without making contact to make sure I wouldn't fall again. I looked up at him now and he was even more caught off guard when we made eye contact. I honestly felt just as taken aback as he did. I was looking into his eyes like I never could before.  
Our faces were so close now and I was hit with a million feelings at once, most of them I didn't understand. they confused and frustrated me. my chest felt uncomfortably tight and I couldn't breath as heat spread through my entire torso. I abruptly stopped breathing as hard and quieted as I was stunned a second time, but in a much different way. his lips parted and he took a deep breath as they closed in a hard line. his eyes remained enthralled with me as they glossed over some, but just barely despite them tightening like he was almost angry or something.

my thoughts and instinct began to take over. I realised I had wrapped my legs around him with my arms and my groin muscles were beginning to protest. my face flush embarrassed and feeling like this could end badly. Before I had a chance to really panic, he pulled me away from the ledge and set me down. Looking away from me for a moment like he was trying to make me more comfortable, he looks back to me and his eyes are completely clear. That same unreadable, cold, calculated, emotionless face was back like he was made of stone.

His cape was over the front of his body again. I noticed it seemed to move out of his way when he was doing something quickly, but when he was relaxed it tended to fall forward. It had been completely behind him. now it hung open only some in the front, the slit splitting at the top to reveal more of his rippling torso the farther down it went. It made him so much more appealing in the sense that it left a lot more to the imagination, like the mini shirk rule I was taught in english: long enough that you don’t look like a floozy, but short enough to keep it interesting. Ironically enough, my writing was always too long and too detailed.

"sorry," he said again, "would you like me to leave?"

I just looked at him like I did the first night we met: like an idiot. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out besides studders. I haven't decided whether I wanted to contact him or not and it didn't look like i was going to come to that conclusion any time soon on my own. Now that he was in front of me telling him no was a lot different then simply not contacting him. I wasn't good at no…  
"why are you here?" it was the only thing i could manage.

"you were in distress," was all he said, “you’ve been in distress every night for the last fortnight.”

He was completely composed now, voice thick with control as he spoke in a mono tone and his face still blank. When he had that face the only thing that barely got thro was the feeling like he was analyzing everything, his eyes deep and obvious in his intense contemplation. I felt like I was looking into the soul of a computer or something, if computers could have souls.

"is this something you do often?" I asked, sounding a little wary. I shifted my weight and looked around nervously.

"no," he answered, sounding completely honest to my relief, "is someone the cause of your distress?"

“no," I respond quickly, too quickly. I looked away uncomfortably. lying had never went well for me in the past and had normally brought consequences.

"Who is it?" he called my bluff.

my eyes got a little bigger and I strained to control my reaction. Then something happened that I’d never experienced or heard of. He started asking me questions so fast and off of my reactions alone led him to his own conclusions without me consenting to answer anything.

"is it a woman?"

No.

"has he hurt you?"

No.

"has he threatened you?"

No.

"do you think he might?"

I wasn't sure about that one.

"What are you do-" I tried to stop him, but he cut me off, his voice becoming so full of controlled authority it silenced me obediently without making a conscious decision to stop talking.  
"have you seen him recently?”

right now so yes..

"are you scared of him?"

that one confused me. I wasn't sure only because i didn't know his intention or how in control he really was, but I suppose, yes, he does scare me. He stopped and my eyes were huge, shocked at what had just happened. I stumbled back a bit over my own two feet then turned away from him worried it was my only defense for round two, but nothing happened. I put my hands on the ledge for support and we sat in silence for some time.

"why did you do that?" I asked quietly.

"because you lied and I want to prevent the past from repeating itself. I don't take unnecessary chances," he answered in his monotone, completely unapologetic. I finally looked at him again.

“Is it me?" he hit me with it before I could look away.

Yes.

"would you like me to leave?" he asked again softly now and politely.

"just give me a minute please," my voice was incredibly uneven. I tucked my hair behind my ear in a nervous gesture. I should want him to leave, seeing as how he was the cause of all my stress, at least at night, but for some reason I didn't, "I was just trying to decide whether I should contact you for a statement is all." 

"you may decline or take as much time as you wish to give it," he tried to reassure me.

how was I supposed to tell him I was scared of the chances of him losing his composure or that I was terrified he wouldn't help me next time if I choose not to?

"I'm always nervous when I'm alone with men," I trailed off and looked away.

"understandable. I'm sorry I interfered," he apologised.

"it's okay. um... you’re here now, so I guess let's just get it over with," I tried to sound indifferent, but I could hear the fakeness even myself.

"Some of the questions will be invasive," he studied me.

"before we start would it be possible for you to tell me what you know?" I asked timidly.

"You may not like my results and theories," he responded immediately, his eyes had tightened suspiciously. I just waited for him to begin.

"There are things about me I will not speak of. you not speaking of our encounters and answering some questions are the only things I require to share my knowledge. it is for both our interests.

"I need to stress that if you are threatened, you don’t protect anything you may learn about me. My enemies go to drastic lengths to gain knowledge, no matter how little or whether you know anything or not. people have been beaten, torchered, unlawfully imprisoned, raped, handicapped, and killed working with me or for just being seen with me," he added.

I kept looking at him waiting for him to begin. I wanted to say back to him 'um yeah guy my entire life is a risk’.

"um, okay?" I said this in the form of a question and waited for him to begin.

"Has anyone tried to contact you outside of this facility since the incident with johnny?" he asked.

"um... no," i looked around a bit wondering why that mattered.

"have you spoken about me to anyone?" he was probing my face for answers I wouldn't say.

"when I talked about everything in group, you can up," I said hesitantly.

"has anyone taken a consistent interest in that detail?" he asked, his eyes tightening more.

"you? Um… no not really. I mean the girls are pretty fond of you. you have sent a few of us this way over the years after helping them out..." I trailed off for a moment, starting to feel a little uncomfortable. I felt like he wanted a specific answer that I wasn’t giving, "but nothing I would consider suspicious if that's what you mean.”

"what are your intentions?" he asked.

I looked around uncomfortable and shifted in place folding my arms over my chest. my face felt flushed and I was getting clammy.

"they say your The World's Greatest Detective… is that true?" I covered my mouth with the back of my fingers in a nervous gesture.

"I’m skilled," he answered.

"if you took an interest in… my case I hoped you would share your findings with me," my cheeks burned and I glanced away, feeling embarrassed and apprehensive.

"is that all?" he asked.

"um yeah," I lied as I made eyes with him, my cheeks still on fire.

"You're hiding something," his voice became harder, but didn't move an inch his eyes tightened again. I backed away and tensed, "you have nothing to fear miss annabella, but i will not share information unless you’re honest with me."

I looked him over a few times, confused. Why did it matter so much?

"if you must know, I feel like it’s a good idea to stay in the good graces of someone capable of folding people into human origami. that and..." I paused to collect myself for a moment, "it's… refreshing to be in the presence of a man who does look at me like a meal."

"I measured the influence on Johnny and I from you immediately," he began but I already had a question. He paused seeing my mouth open to give me a chance to speak.

"measured?" was all I asked.

"I have data proving your influence," he gave me.

"are you human?" I blurted out then looked at him wary of a reaction. That was rude and very personal, “I’m sorry.”

“Completely," he answered unfazed.

so his suit must have some kind of tech that could measure certain things like pupil dilation, blood pressure, things like this. He waited a moment before continuing.

"facial, eye and physical contact affect the intensity of your influence along with other key factors. your emotional state, I think, is the strongest modifier, part of the reason I gassed you, but reactions depend greatly on the individual's personality. distance is considerate, but every man in the parking lot was affected. most didn't understand it, but seemed to look at you more than necessary. your influence is strong enough to override someone's self-preservation and do things completely out of character.

"I’ve been looking for Johnny for a few nights. He’s moved through enemy territories leaving chaos. He’s known for being away from his dirty work, but personally handled this., his pattern suggesting he was looking for something. did you know anything about this?" he stopped to ask me now.

"no," I said low in awe.

"about his drug empire or his smuggling?" he pressed. I looked up at him, all of this was new to me. He took in my face and nodded, "it's falling apart now. we've never had anything solid until now," my eyes got bigger.

"we’re keeping you off the books, having enough for a long sentence," I relaxed a bit, "Physical and verbal reactions to assault lead me to believe he’s held you by force for some time and y’alls relationship was physically abusive, but he’s never sexually assaulted you or hurt you like he did that night.”

"Reactions? But, how did you…? ho- but yo- no one-" I was floored.

how could I even react to something like this? How could he have known all of that already? That makes no sense… then I realised the only way he could have… there was a video at the counter I hadn't seen. There had to be. Johnny or any of his goons weren’t about to talk to no bacon.

"oh no no no no no," I backed away faster, so fast I almost tripped again. my eyes were already watering, but now they really picked up, "how could you? why would you…you- you.-"

"I don't take unnecessary chances," he said again in a mono tone, "im sorry this is of such an uncomfortable nature. No one has seen the footage, but me and my support. We can be trusted not to speak of or abuse it and it has been wiped from the source."

"do you have a copy?" I practically vomited at him.

"only for the purpose of evidence," he responded like that was supposed to give me comfort.

"please erase it..." I begged in a low voice and braced myself against the ledge again.

"I kept every piece of evidence from a case I can, regardless of the circumstances," and I could tell his words were final.

I’d stopped to sit on an overturned bucket and was staring at my feet on the moist rooftop. it felt like I sat there for several minutes, unwilling to break the silence. I started to feel a little dizzy. He had seen the entire thing… how he violated me and I barely put up a fight. How I just laid back down for him after going to stop him from unbuttoning my pants. He saw how I begged and in the end submitted to him like the little whore Johnny wanted. everything johnny had said and done… and everything I had said and done… it wasn't like he could unwatch it.

"I know this is difficult to process, but it could cause problems in the future if i let the police handle your case," he said.

I glanced up at him, but only for a second before I looked back to the ground in utter shame. My hands trembled in my lap and I gripped them over each other hard to try and stop them. Then I shook my head still looking at the ground as I began to sniffle to keep my tears back. Taking the back of my hand, I put it over my mouth to try and keep from crying. I squeezed my eyes shut hard as I felt violated all over again.

"how am I supposed to move past something like this? how am I even supposed to look at you?" my voice was weak and completely broken.

"because when I look at you I don't see you as the girl in the video. your not who he tried to force you to be," his voice had gotten soft.

I started up at him now through my thick tears that finally won me over as they spilled down my cheeks. his eyes were tender and his head was inclined towards me some, even his lips were slightly parted at me. his words were so heavy with his conviction, that it gave me comfort. I clamord at it.

"what do you see?" I asked in a desperate whisper.

"a woman who's scared and trying to hide from herself," he responded without hesitation.

that wasn't fair, but it was the truth. I felt my\ my chest burn in a way I had never experienced before. it made me feel awkward and self-conscious. I shifted my weight on top of my bucket. I just watched him shaking my head. it wasn't at his answer, just at him in general. he was just so...so… just so extraordinary... I couldn't wrap my head around him. I felt like I could stare at him and talk to him for hours just trying to chip away his complex and intricate layers.

He gave away so little with every sentence he spoke, all of his gestures were minimal, and his reactions were even fewer. behind those eyes there was something, no there was... I don't know yet. I really wanted to know though... He was like the biggest freakin enigma ever. He tilted his head to the side and as his eyes tightened while he bored into me. He hadn't moved since he’d put me down and backed away, but it still felt like he had come closer somehow.

We were staring into each other's eyes, both studying the others hard trying to guess what the other was thinking. I caved first to look back to the ground. When I looked back at him, he had his arm up in front of him, but like always besides the time him and Gordan were looking at it, there was nothing I could see. He scanned over something and after a minute, lowered it.

"May I ask some questions?" he asked, formal, but tight. I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

"do you really think it could help anything?" I asked, sounding a little sarcastic.

"I know it will,” he sounded like he already knew I was going to yield, "may i?"

"if you promise to make all these violations of my privacy not in vain," I said as sincere as possible, because it was sincere.

He just nodded once.

"how do I know I can trust you? how can i trust you wont turn on me or that you and your 'support'," I made air quotes, "won't tell people about all of this. can't we leave them out of this?"

"You don't, but we’re trying to help," he answered, then stepped forward to move directly in front of me.

I thought for a moment, like I had been for nights about how much I was going to give him. I felt like I had a good idea of what I would try and work around and what I might be able to get away with lying about if I felt like I needed too.

"Okay," I nodded at him as I took a huge breath in an attempt to try and ready myself.

"what causes the mental and physical influences?" he asked the same question as the last time we met.

"I don't know?" I said it with an upward inflection at the end. my eyebrows came together.

"you have no form of control?" he asked like it wasn't a question he had already asked me again. 

"Um, I don't think so," I tried to word it differently, but it was the same so I looked around nervous.

"are there any limitations you are aware of?" he asked.

he looked like he was concentrating. Suddenly I felt very small under him. He still wasn't that close to me, but he was asking the same questions and I had the same responses as last time. Did he expect me to know something different now? Should I know something different? I shrank back a bit, scared I should and like I was missing something.

"this is only because you were in shock the first time I asked these questions," he told me. that made sense… I chewed on my lip for a minute.

"I don't know if it is possible for someone to..." I trailed off and looked to the ground. my cheeks flushed again and I took a staggered breath, "just that the more the physco the um… more… um… affected I guess you could say?" I looked away, sniffled as I was so ashamed... “I don’t even know if it’s possible to for me to be with a man without it turning into something unpleasant.”

I shook my head at myself. I was such a freak. Even at twenty-three, I didn’t even know if it was possible to have normal intercourse... I realized I had said that last bit out loud and I covered my now open mouth more and tucked my head into my shoulder. 

"um i- uh, i," i glanced up at his reaction, but there wasn't one. I was surprised at how easy that was to talk about it, so easy that it had just come out. I scolded at the ground for a moment in confusion, "I'm so sorry. I sincerely didn’t mean to say that last part."

"everything’s relevan. you don't need to apologise.”

“I don’t see how that’s relevant,” I whisper while shaking my head at the roof, mentally kicking myself.

“has it always been present?" he moved on without a second thought.

"kinda, I mean I..." I took a trembling breath and told myself to get a grip.

it could always be worse right? it could always be worse. it could always be worse. it could always be worse. I chatted to myself a few times as my teeth locked together for a moment. I took another deep breath.

"I was spared any uh… really inappropriate," my voice broke again and I cleared my throat as i glanced away for a sec, "stuff until I was around nineteen."

I nodded my head feeling like that was a reasonable way to feel about it. it could always be worse and spared was a good word.

"spared is a poor choice of words," his eyes tightened a bit in disagreement. When he spoke again, his voice was much softer, "nothing before nineteen?" .

"There was one guard who looked at me like he had… bad intentions.”

“How old were you?” he asked bluntly, but in a gentle voice. I jerked my head up to him in shock. His abrasiveness was kinda rude and inconsiderate.

“Twelve,” I had a disterbed frown on my face.

“But nothing else before nineteen?” he asked again to be sure.

“well, I mean there were always the looks and comments after puberty. a few slaps or groups a few years in, but the ah...." I could see my vision becoming distorted as my eyes water with my pain that I felt like I was managing to keep from my face. my tears would give me away though and I tucked my head into my shoulder again to hide them.

I've always had panic attacks, but this was different. I had never had the feeling like my problems literally had a physical presence, like they were physical bodies bucking up at me, forcing me into a corner as a large man might. like i wanted to scoot this bucket backwards in an effort to escape this panic mashing me into the ledge behind me. but it could be worse i said again. it could always be worse.

I could have been sexually abused my entire life right and not only that, but actual abuse. The girls in group all tried constantly to get me to ‘recognise’ that abuse is abuse, no matter how far it goes. They said I needed to see this, stop trying to brush everything off my shoulder like it wasn’t a big deal, but how could I when other people had been through so much worse… 

it could always be worse. I said to myself again, but it wasn't working. It never did completely, but it helped me stop feeling sorry for myself most of the time at least a little. no matter how I tried to rationalize it, it didn't matter that I knew it could be worse or that I had everything I had always wanted. I was finally out, I thought before I had to work to be distracted from my anxiety, but now… I felt like I couldn't do anything. It could always be worse, I chatted in my head one last time breaking down a bit more because i already knew it didn't have the same effect as it had my entire life anymore.

"ms. annabella," his voice brought me out because he sounded closer to me and it was so soothing. it wrapped around my name with what sounded like good intentions.

I looked up to see him crouching on my level within arms length. I jerked back with a gasp and threw my hands up. My back hit the ledge behind me as the bucket scrapped over the roof a little. He did not move back any tho.

"telling yourself it could always be worse isn't a healthy way to process the trauma," he looked like he wished he could do more. what exactly i couldn't say, "just because it could have been worse, doesn't mean your pain is any less significant or traumatic."

"how did you know i was thinking that?" I asked stunned and lowered my hands a little.

"you said it to yourself a few times, " he said like it wasn't weird that I had been chatting to myself without realising it. 

"it’s always helped in the past, not as much now for some reason. this is more trouble than it's worth for you, i don't think i should have done this," I shook my head and he shifted until he was on one knee.

"your reaction is perfectly normal and this is no trouble," his eyes tightened some, "would you like to stop?" 

Of course I did, but I wanted him to stay. that last thought had me jerking my head up in a gesture of shock.

"what?" he asked. I could hear the curiosity dripping from his voice.

"uh... nothing," I shook my head sharply at him. my chest burned almost painfully and I shifted on my bucket a few times.

He looked at me harder like he wanted to push it.

"Um anyway, the physically inappropriate stuff didn't start until around nineteen, just comments and looks before. johny always said 'let the fruit ripen before you pluck it'," I said trying to distract from his question and i got a bad taste in my mouth. his eyes tightened again, this time with anger. I tensed, but it was already melting.

"were you born with it?" he moved on and I relaxed a little.

"I have no idea,” I say honestly as he stays not even a foot away from me.

"parents? family?" he pushed for anything.

"not that I remember."

"who were you with before johnny?"

"a lot of people. I was moved around frequently and every few months to years someone would fight over me and I would exchange… owners," I say, just not able to come up with a better word.

"where did johnny keep you?"

"all I know is that I was on the 68th floor," I shrugged a bit, “when I left I just ran as fast as I could.”

"the trager building, 45th and 26th street," he told me. my mouth dropped at him, "the only building with that many floors in his territory, he owns it. can you give me a detailed chronological description of everything to do with the people you have been with. locations, incidents and dates. anything and everything you want to share no matter how insignificant the detail may seem," he asked me now. my eyes just got bigger at him as i realised he was serious.

"Maybe I should write this down for you… it's a lot and I'll have to repeat it," I suggested.

"you won't have to repeat anything," he confirmed, but I didn't see how anyone would be able to remember everything I was about to say, he definitely seemed really smart, but dang. 

I just dove in. Of course there were a few times I began crying and just generally freaking out. He was kind and patient throughout the entire process, never making any type of gesture of impatience or frustration. He never seemed uncomfortable no matter how personal or upset I got. After a certain point everything began to flow organically and I didn't have to force it out of my lips as much.

He confronted me constantly, reminding me to breathe and that we were on the roof, not wherever the current memory was trying to take me. He would stop me abruptly at times to force me to take a moment before I got too worked up. At times he also said nothing, just gave me space and silence to breath. It was always just what I needed whether it a moment to think or to be reminded of where I was.

"Would you like to continue this another time?" he said after i’d collected myself again.

it must have been getting lait and not only that, but I'm sure he was a busy guy. It must have been exhausting to deal with this too, I know I wasn't making getting this information out of me easy. We had already been talking for what felt like at least two hours.

"Of course, I'm sorry. I'm sure you're busy," I said, feeling embarrassed I’d made him feel obligated to stay because of my emotions. He raised his arm and looked at something for a moment, then lowered it.

"the city is quiet," he said. he looked so much more mysterious with his cape covering most of him like that... "we can continue now or another time."

"well what else do you want to know?" I breathed deep again.

“What is that scar from?” he gestured to my left wrist.

I looked down to it for a second and ran my fingers over the five raised lines in my wrist. There was another line that had been cut into me that went straight through the other five which were parallel to each other. I had always had it, as long as I can remember.

“No idea,” I shrugged, “I’ve always thought someone just cut it into me as some form of branding, but I can’t be sure.”

"what characteristics do the heavily influenced share?"

"the ones who are the most affected just seem to be the most… when I was younger I thought it was only psychopaths but now i have a theory it might have something to do with extreme personalities in general," I looked him up and down making it seem casual as I contemplated him being proof of that, "it's always the most powerful and… driven in addition to phycos."

"has anyone ever tried to study you?" he was of course unfazed by my reaction to his question, which was my eyes widening at him.

"ah i don't know..." I felt my eyebrows come together. I had never even considered until now, "I mean I couldn't know.”

"can you elaborate?" he asked.

"he had a female doctor come through every six months to do a check up. I don't know if that served more than one purpose."

"name? did she take samples of any kind?" he asked.

throughout all of our conversations his tone was always controlled and deep like he put a lot of thought into his words. His voice was something that was inspirational in the sense that someone could have that much discipline and just general domination of their entire universe. almost like he was in charge of this city, no like it was his city.

I snapped back to our conversation and gave him a run down of the two doctors I had over the years, about the urine and blood samples they’d taken over time and of all the different tests they ran. I could only tell him what they did to me, not anything about what they were testing for.

"has your influence seemed to intensify over time?" he asked.

I crossed my arms and glowered off to the side. he understood my reaction

"was it a gradual change?" He asked. my face twisted in more discomfort, he waited.

"yes and no," i transfered my weight to my other foot and collected my hair over my shoulder he watched this movement very intently, "it has always gotten a little worse as the years went by, but when i started um...," and I turned half way away for a moment.

_I shrank in the nook created by the bookshelf and corner. the moment I’d been trying to avoid for over two years was finally coming. I whimpered as he leaned in to rub our cheeks together and run his fingers through my hair._

_"jo- johny, p- please," I squeezed my eyes shut and tears were forced out._

_"a great man once said let the fruit ripen before you pluck it," he brought my face up by the chin to kiss my cheek lightly._

_I froze in shock and didn't even try to fight him. I did nothing more than gasph and let out short cries of fear while he began to kiss all over my neck and press into me._

I had a flashback from the first time johny had really ever cornered me. the first time he had ever been so physically inappropriately.

"Annabelle, stay with me," Batman's voice broke my memory up so that I could shake my head to dispel the last of it.

he recognised I was having a flashback again. I had to glaced around to regain my surroundings. He had one hand balled up in a tightened fist and the other hanging off his knee

"what? I mean i- I'm sorry what was I saying?" I asked sheepishly.

"I asked if it had gotten stronger over time. you responded with yes and no," he recapt for me.

"oh... uh yeah i was just saying i uh when i uh matured is when it started to… get bad. I feel like maybe it has snowballed out of control since then, but I haven't had a lot of exposser outside of johnny. it's why I finally got the nerve to leave. he was… um... getting tired of waiting,” I flushed to look away.

"Johnny became more aggressive at an accelerated rate?" he pressed.

"yeah," i answered low, "when he first got me, i could tell johnny was kinda a gentleman. He didn't see me that way until later and even when he did, he showed restraint until I got older. As the years went by he grew more impatient. He told me in the beginning he would wait for me, and that one day I would grow to love him and want to be with him.

“He wanted me to want to be with him, not force me into anything, but he just changed. He began to lose it every six months to a year, getting fet up with… with me not… “ I sucked down a staggered breath, having pause as my voice broke, “He never tried to… to um… I’m sorry.”

I had to stop for a second again to pinch the bridge of my nose. Saying the words were just impossible. Talking about something so invasive, personal, embarrassing, shameful and just plain wrong felt impossible. Like the words weren’t just words and more of a physical thing inside of me I couldn’t push out. My throat had literally clinched up several times during all of this as I struggled to tell him things I prayed would really help him to find out about my past or help me understand things more even.

“Don’t apologize,” he said plainly, “these aren’t easy things to talk about.”

“He never tried to um…” I teared up and swallowed hard, “fo- force himself on me until the other night. He just lost control almost. It was like he didn’t realise what he was doing at all or like even if he did, he couldn’t help it or maybe he just didn’t care, but I've never seen him like he was at the gas station.

“He’s never like to really see me unhappy and when he’s hurt me… always seemed like he genuinely feels bad and restrains himself a lot when he does hurt me… but that night…” I shake my head a little as I remember how much of a change there was in him, “there was no restrain and he’s never hit me that hard, just been so… rough, hurt me like that.”

"describe the kinds of reactions this has provoked over the years," he was really starting to ask the questions intently, like he was forming conclusions already. this was becoming incredibly… invasive, just like he had said.

"I already told you about some of that," I stated a little wary now.

"would you like to skip more examples? it will prepare me for possible outcomes," he asked and I scoffed.

"well lets see as far as general reactions, anything from being really nice, creepy, protective, fascinated, obsessed and of course then there’s the obvious," I scowl at the ground, "which is the most common."

"what's the worst?" he asked without hesitation.

I stared at him a bit bewildered at how bold and abrasive he asked these questions. The way he spoke he could have been asking about the weather…

"Tonight was the worst,” I took a deep breath, a little frustrated.

he was still completely composed, patient as ever. it was so reassuring how he didn't react to anything differently. like when you tell a doctor something embarrassing and they don't bat an eye, but on a much grander scale. Of course I was still freaking out, shacking, irregular breathing, and tense all over.

That was just my thing for now and I’ve always been skittish, but now I kinda shake often a little. Even though I cried a few times I’d managed to always get it under control within a minute or two. I hadn't allowed myself to get so worked up that he would want to put me in a mental hospital. It wasn't productive. Besides, I had everything I’d ever wanted. it didn't make any sense. that and of course it could always be worse.

"who knows?" he asked.

"Johnny and one of his head baby sitters. her name is mazikeen, but I don’t know her last name. They are the only people I’m sure about besides the other few males guards he had that watched me, some of his lady guards from gossip, you and whoever else you have told and who they have told or will tell."

"tell me more about mazikeen," he probed.

"Well I've seen her kill a man with her small earring for spilling her drink and she loves a fight. She uses these knives that curve back over her wrist and is skilled enough with throwing knives she's pinned me to a wall a few times across a room with my clothes. the way she acts i wouldn't be surprised if she is second in everything under johny," I finished feeling shaky and clammy after remembering her. mazikeen was hell on wheels and she had hurt me enough times to have a healthy fear of her.

"You're scared of her," it was a statement.

"She's given me plenty of reasons to be," was all I said.

"she;s his second in command. we’re still looking for her. she’s regained control of johnny's operation recently," he said

"you know her?" astonishment.

"she was identified as his second six years ago. I wanted to know if you knew anything I didn't."

"and did i?" I asked.

"Yes."

"what?" I was curious.

"you know and fear her," he told me. he lifted his arm again and scrolled thro something, lowered it and then his eyes softened at me so much my chest got tight, making me swallow hard.

"this could not have been easy. for your choice to confide in me and my support I am most humbled. everything will be considered in evaluating your case," he says.

That was... incredibly sincere. I'm sure I was imagining it, but I swear he really did sound humbly grateful. It brought my eyebrows together and my lips parted a little. it was almost laughable, the idea that I had laid out my entire life for someone in a batsuit… it's like one of those things where you ask yourself: if a year ago you could see where you are now, would you believe it? ah… no.

"what now?" I asked unsure what else to say.

"Focus on getting well. You already look better. contact me if you remember anything else," he answered and stood, his voice speaking to me like a doctor leachuring me.

"getting better? I'm fine," I said accusingly. What did that mean? I was fine, I had everything I’d ever wanted.

"You believing your own lie is proof you are not. you may have gained your freedom, but it is not that simple. you need to process all of this," his voice was almost… bossy...

"there's nothing to process… I understand everything that happened," I frown at him.

"that's not the same as you processing this emotionally," he sounded like he just knew he was right.

I shook my head at him in astonishment at his confidence that I was as damaged as he suggested and how he was kinda being pushy about this when it was uncalled for and seemed too familiar to me. He barely knew me and how could he know something like that?

"thank you for your concern, but i'll be fine in another week or two I'm sure," now I sounded like I knew what I was talking about… or at least I hope…? I wasn't sure how to end this interaction. do i shake his hand… "um… I guess I'll see you around?"

"hopefully you’ll never be in another situation that requires intervention," his tone was back to its normal emotionless voice that gave away nothing.

I felt insecure all of the sudden. Did he feel that way because he didn't want to deal with it or because he didn't want me to suffer or did he not think twice about seeing me at all… and furthermore… Why do I consider this carefully?

"right… um well thanks again," I said.

"You’ll never need to thank me," he said and my cheeks flushed as I glanced away for a second.

When I looked back up he was taking a huge breath to steady himself, a fire in his eyes gone before it got started, a kind of fire I’d never seen in his eyes that frightened me. I tensed a little, but it wasn't just from fear, it was also from something else... I don't know... He turned and made his way to the ledge, pulled something from his belt and shot it. he flew through the air, a rocket of disciplined muscle on its way to bigger and better things.

his cape rustled through the air like a flag in high winds. Once he’d reached an unbelievable height his cape came out wide, giving him wings to glide on. He turned around a far away building and was gone. I stood there for what felt like at least ten minutes watching the spot he’d been in before turning around the building. I just couldn't believe everything that had happened.

ever since that night I have been freaking out about this statement only to find that the hardest part almost isn't sharing it with him. The hardest part was almost when he left. In fact, it had been easier talking to him than other women from the group who’d been through worse. that didn't make sense so much it angered me. it defies all logic. what is happening? I shook my head at myself fiercely in annoyance.

"get a grip," I said to myself rudely.

After another few minutes of trying to make sense of my reactions to him, his lack of reactions, and his intentions I gave up with a "ugh!" and went inside.

................................................................................................................................................

I took my time at my favorite little corner store on this day. I normally was in a rush to get home, but today I was feeling quite weightless. It had been four months since the incident with Johnny and I’d gotten a small rent controlled apartment. it was clean and funded by the Wayne foundation, the same one that funded sister judith's sasuary for girls.

It had one room for my bed in the middle facing the door, closet to the right, archway to the kitchen top right, with a desk tucked in a nook beside it and a small bathroom on my right as well. everything was in neutral colors but still contrasted nicely. all the furniture was small and very efficient and I loved my tiny little apartment.

my online job brought in just enough to pay my bills and feed myself with extra money for toiletries. I got to buy other things if I saved very carefully, like attempting to assemble a worthy wardrobe which consisted mostly of a lot of t-shirts, jeans, and my favorite boots. I tried to switch it up sometimes with my maroon jeans, or wear my flats with my not too tight skinnies. Maybe I would wear a long sleeved v-neck or scoop neck tee with an undershirt which was always my go too. I only had one blouse, and it was a sky blue. I always made sure to dress as plain as I could, never wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to myself.

These last few weeks I’d really settled into my new life. I was alone but completely happy, at least when I wasn't having panic attacks. I didn't sleep well still though. my nightmares woke me up screaming in a cold sweat often. I was just always being attacked or followed or groped or harassed. Sometimes these were memories of things that have happened and sometimes they were things my mind conjured. The only one that happened frequently was a dream where I was walking down a brightly lit street.

I knew someone was following me, but I'm always too scared to turn to check and be sure. I hear nothing nor even see any shadows, but I just know. I began running and then heard the first evidence he was behind me. His footsteps always mirror mine perfectly, no matter if I stumble or change directions. I was trying to find a dark alley and everytime i turned a corner to find one, it was always lit. It makes no sense that in Gotham I couldn't find one dark alley.

I knew when I found this pitch black alley i wouldn't be able to see, but I also knew it was my only hope because they couldn't see either. Finally I find one and hide between a stinking dumpster and a cold brick wall. it was a snug fit as I tucked myself away, putting my head between my knees and hugging my entire form hard, like it was the only thing that could hold me together. I hear him call for me now, Johnny's voice.

He was using that tone he did with me when I was younger, when he was more patient and kind. it grew more and more hostile, screaming then shifting into others Id bad interactions with in the past. they all screamed my name so loud I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. they all come together now, not one voice at a time but all of the voices I’d heard at once, shouting, crying, begging, accusing, and even some incoherent phrases twisted with so much madness i couldn't make it out.

as the hours go by i can literally feel sanity shedding off me. my reserve to keep resisting waning and my survival instincts over ridden as the desire to stop the voices becomes more important than life itself because this isn’t life. This is hiding in the dark like a cockroach so I wouldn't get torn apart. I knew there was no waiting them out, this was my existence now, forever, but I still wanted to live in the beginning.

I suddenly stand without making any decision to do so. Walking out through the alley, I put my hands out probing the darkness for someone to end the suffering that is my life now. My hands shook so violently with the rest of my body and my teeth chatter as I waited for one of them to take hold of me. To end me however they would, slowly or quickly, as long as the voices ended at some point. arms enclosed me painfully from every angel. They grip me so hard I feel a few ribs crack and I wake up to grope over my body to ensure I am really in my own bed. My ribs still ace from the realness of my dream.

Another dream I have I’m going about my life, but I’ll randomly turn a corner on the street one day to run face first into Batman. I stumble back, stuttering as I slowly look up to him. He’s not the Batman I know, a Batman that would throw me over his shoulder. I see it all in his eyes as I stare up into them. He stalks me, he manipulates, lies, takes advantage, intends to lock me away…

I’m his… and he’s not the good guy I’d hoped he was. I see now… see how I’d never stood a chance no matter how relaxed and respectful he seemed to act towards my rights. It was all a shame to manipulate me, but manipulations didn’t get him where he’d hoped so here he was now. Nothing I could have said or done from the moment he laid eyes on me would have discouraged him.

I frown up at him, my eyes growing worried and apprehensive as he bores down into me. I whimper a little, glancing around as I’m so stund with everything I just picked up in these few seconds, I can’t react yet besides a little fear. He puts his hand simply, just like the first night we met and just like that night, he wants me to take it and have the same look in his eye as he did then. That we both know taking his hand means something more, something much for and is like I’m committing to something whether I want to or understand what it really means or not. 

Not saying that’s what happened between us in real life, but in my dreams, that’s what happened between us on that gas station floor. So many things happen just like that night. He puts his hands out the same, that of his expression I can see appears serious and thick with implication, that I best be sure I mean it ifI take his hand. His eyes tighten, I look back and forth between his hand and his eyes, knowing I shouldn’t because I feel the implications coming with it.

I don’t know if there are good or bad, I just know there mind shattering and life changing, I’ll never be the same and he’ll take me places only a handful of people know in the world. I look up to him one last time as I slowly take his hand. He smiles a little, it playing on his lips as he becomes pleased with my choice. I glanced around with a gasp because all the streets and buildings around us were gone, replaced with darkness.

I whine, frightened, but he takes the side of my face. I gasp to look up to him, trying to push his hand away. He puts an arm around my waist, jerking me to him to keep holding my face. I cry out in alarm, putting my hands against his as I must stand on my tippy toes he jerks me to him so hard.

“ **I** own the night,” he jerks me a little in his arms with his words, his face now an inch from mine, “and everything in it.”

Then I woke up in a cold sweat as I say Batman’s name, looking over to my closet confused when the door moved a little in the air like a hard draft hit it, even the garments hanging inside moving a little. I stared at the impenetrable darkness through the rest of the darkness in my room, feeling like something was in there.

“Hello?” I asked while I pulled the blanket over myself.

I was alone of course, but I felt like I had to ask and cover myself anyway. I mean, I’d gotten hot, so I’d taken off my T-shirt and was only in underwear and a bralette. I pressed my lips into a line, slowly getting out of the bed to walk in front of the closet. I grabbed my chest, my breath almost getting out of control, but I put a hand against the door frame to get a grip.

“You’re not nine anymore,” I say to myself, shaking my head, “there’s no one hiding in your closet.”

I huff and turn, stretching my arms over my head, yawning as I glanced over my shoulder into the closet again while trying to act like I wasn’t worried about it to fool myself into not stressing anymore. I plopped into bed, hugging a pillow to lay on my side, watching the darkness in the closet. I scowl at it, feeling like it was… rude…? Invasive? Inconsiderate? … obsessed…? what tha… I scoffed, smirking at it now. I sat up, looking harder at it then shaking my head with a frustrated huff to roll over, putting my back to the curious darkness.

Sometimes I still felt like a prisoner because going outside could always be a risk. with settling in my new place I had gotten more comfortable with it. I learned the best times of the day to go places I needed and when I couldn't avoid people I just kept my head down. my hood was always up and i had sunglasses for when I got bad vibes.

everyone just thought i was some punk or just jayed out and was trying to hide my dilated pupils, which was fine with me. I found that most of the men I came across took notice of me, stared and sometimes tried to talk to me, but the longer I exposed myself to the outside world, the more I saw that extreme personalities really were the main ones who seemed to be a problem.

Even then whenever someone was really making me uncomfortable or someone was being pushy, another guy would step it sometimes. It seemed they were the type of guy that wasn’t a psychopath or generally a bad person, but extreme in other ways? Once a guy at the bank wouldn’t leave me alone and another guy stepped in to tell him to buzz off fuck off, leave the lady alone or he’d make him eat his deposit slip.

He was a short man, the other guy twice his size, but he didn’t seem to care.They got into an argument and the one bothering me left. I worried about the one who had taken up for me would be a problem, but like he knew I just wanted to be left alone, he nodded at me and got back into his own place in line. I kept seeing him watching me, but he never tried to speak to me again.

one considerable incident almost got out of hand, but resolved itself when an older man who had a gun intervened. the would-be attacker ran off when he shot at his feet. The police were never called, but Batman showed up shortly after. the old man had left, regarding me with confusion and reservation. in a hurry it seemed to get away… I was catching my breath against the side of the building next to an alley. the old man's reaction had really freaked me out. the way he looked at me… like he was scared of me almost. His reaction had scared me in a different way. Batman's voice broke my train of thought.

"ms. annabella," it sounded like it always did, flat and monotone.

I jumped and turned around to let out a loud short screech. I covered my head protectively and squatted all the way down to the ground in a ball. I slowly looked up to him, shocked at how he had came out of nowhere and also at my own reaction. Halfway through myself getting to the ground I realised it was just him, but my self preservation wouldn’t let it go, nor would my vocal cords. he was above me on the fire escape perched up on the rail totally balanced like some kind of cat or bird or… dare I say it… no, I won't.

"has anyone ever told you you need a bell around you!" I snapped at him.

"it pays to keep a low profile in places I'm not wanted. there are a lot of those places,"(thief) he said this so casually, like I wasn't supposed to laugh at it.

I stared at him for a second as it swelled in me and I giggled at him for a minute. I shook my head towards the end of my laughter.

"I'm sorry you're just so… i- sometimes I just can't believe how non salaunt you are about your lifestyle choice. Why would you choose to put on a costume that causes you so much trouble? Why are you still bothering with me? you don't creep me out like you have some ulterior motive so i think that's off the table at least for now," i was starting to work myself up more.

"I’m here because you were in a life threatening scenario," he said like it was obvious and needed no explanation.

He shifted his weight so that his other knee became the higher one now. the bottoms of his feet twisted perfectly in place on top of the thin railing. I watched this, bewildered for a moment at how easy it was for someone as large as him to balance and move on a railing that was only an inch wide at the most.

"sorry. that wasn't fair how i bombarded you. I'm just shook up," I apologise in a large breath.

"understandable," he was unfazed as usual by my rudeness and apology.

Batman questioned me curiously once we were in an alley and he had guaranteed there was no one around. He had stepped off the rail to land beside me. The height is not a problem as his cape became hard to slow his descent.

I told him everything and after many minutes of him pushing for details he seemed satisfied. He bid me goodnight saying this was my ride. when I glanced back at the sound of a cop car pulling up, he was gone by the time I looked back. I pushed my arms out from my side with my palms up in a gesture of being left hanging before dropping them back onto my thighs audibly.

The only other incident had happened during the day, which I always got more looks during the day because you could actually see me better. I had just left the post office and was walking home when I saw an incredibly expensive looking car. I wasn’t sure what it was because I never paid attention to cars enough to really be sure. A man got out and took his phone out of his suit jacket to check it then put it to his ear. He stopped next to his car for a second to speak.

“No……. no, no!” he began to get rathful with whoever he was talking to, “I told you next week! It has to go out next week!...... tell him to go fuck himself! I don’t pay him to complain, I pay him to be my bitch and I don't care if it’s not in his contract…… no, you tell him I said if he doesn’t-” he jerked his head up to look at me as I passed him, ''I'll call you back…… no, I will this time, I gotta go.”

I glanced back as his tone has changed to interest and I could feel him looking at me. He raised an eyebrow with a smirk and I looked forward again to the ground to keep moving, but a little faster. I heard his shoes on the ground like he was jogging toward me. I looked over my shoulder to see him trying to check up with me. I jumped with a gasp at this man showing me any interest. Grabbing the strap of my purse and tightening my hood around my head, I stumbled back as I kept my eyes on him.

“Whoa, whoa,” he put his hands up at me as he stops in front of me while I’m still slowly backing away, “no reason to be scared of me, I wouldn’t hurt a fly. I couldn’t help, but notice how beautiful you are.”

“Th- thank you,” I nod at him and turn to keep walking. He takes my arm gently to keep me in place. I yelp in panic as I grab his hand over my arm, “let me go!”

“Okay!” he puts his hands up again, “I’m sorry, I just really wanted a chance to speak with you a second before you leave. Man sees a woman as pretty as you on the street, you can’t let the opportunity pass you by so easily. Well probably never see each other again.”  
I just glanced around as I shifted my weight uncomfortably. I could see that he clearly saw how unsettled I was. Freedom was great, but it brought on a lot of problems I knew it would… but now that I have to actually face them... I frown at him, so unsure how to react. I’d been so sheltered my entire life, a random conversation with someone was kinda a task for me. My social skills honestly never developed well from the life I’ve had, but I definitely don’t do well with men.

Most of the men who’ve had me knew better, tended to keep me around only a select few or none at all. I got with Johnny when I was nine and barely talked to anyone really at that time. I’d slowly stopped talking more over the years, Johnny having to work on it for a while before I’d speak. The male guards weren’t allowed to really look at me, I didn’t tend to talk to a lot of Johnny’s lady guards because they were kinda bitches. I felt like he did that on purpose so I’d have no one to bond with, but him.

Johnny grew to be a volatile person over the years, it got bad around seventeen, so I didn’t tend to have sincere conversations with him. I don’t know, he was just dull and not a deep guy, but what do I know? Not like I’ve known a lot of people well to know any better… my point, talking to people is really hard for me and men… well… besides Johnny, Batman, Gordon, the emt and a few other instances like this one, I’d barely interacted with a man in almost eight years.

“What’s your name?” he smiled warmly at me. He was a large black man with a shaved head and clean sideburns.

“Um…” I looked around more and pressed my lips into a line.

“I’m Travis,” he puts a hand out for me to shake with a sincere warm smile. I stare at it, unsure if I should or not, which I know I shouldn’t, “it’s just a hand miss. You don’t have to shake it, I can see I am making you uncomfortable and I’m sorry. I just saw you and as soon as I did I wanted nothing more than to take you to dinner.”

“I- I-” I shook my head at him so undecided about him in general.

He seemed like a perfectly nice guy, in fact, I felt like he really had no bad intentions at all. Like I could go to dinner with him and it would have been fine, but I don’t date and it’s never that simple. I wish he could see that, that I would go to dinner with him if it wasn’t for me being a freak. Not only that, but men make me so uncomfortable. I wanted so badly to want to go just to feel normal. I looked up to him and I guess the look in my face told him everything he needed to know.

“Hey…” he trailed off for a second as he tilted his head to the side, “it’s okay, I’ll leave you alone. It was worth a shot.”

Then he gave me a nice smile and went to take his hand back so he could back away. This shocked me so much and made me feel so appreciative of this man. He could see how uneasy he was making me, so he was just going to leave me alone. If I couldn’t be normal enough to go to dinner, I could at least be normal enough to give him a hand shake for being polite. I reached out and took his hand to shake, feeling normal and like if he was willing to leave me alone then this would probably be okay. He jumped in place and snatched his hand away, then looked at me with a startled expression.

“What was that?” he asked himself under his breath then looked back up to me.

Oh no… that was a bad idea… that was really stupid. I took a step back and gave him a smile to say thanks, but have a great day. I turned, but he took my arm again.

“What’s your name?” he asked me with more authority now.

“Annabella,” I squeeked out as I leaned away from him.

“So dinner Miss Annabella,” he smiled again to start walking toward his car with me.

“N- no thank you,” my feet began to trip as I was drugged behind him, “I’m not hungry!”

“That’s okay,” he got to his car and opened the passenger door, “we’ll find something to do.”

“No, please!” I put my hands against the frame of the car, “I- I don’t know you!”

“I’m Travis,“ he repeated and took my hands to work them from around the frame, then got right in my face, “I know you're nervous, I’m nervous too, but I promise, I’m a nice guy. I won’t hurt you, I just want to take you to dinner or a movie. So please, give a guy a chance and come with me.”

“But- but I don’t know you!” I shook my head at him, “a name doesn’t mean I know you!”

“That’s what the dinner is for,” his face softened with a very warm smile, “why are you so worried? You really think I would just hurt you?”

“I don’t know,” I stuttered at him, “I- I just don’t know you.”

“Look miss,” he took a hand to put in both of his and stare intently into my eyes, “I promise, I’m not that kind of guy. Trust me and let me take you to dinner. If you don’t like me, I’ll drop you back off right where I found you or take you home or get a cab for you if that’s what you want. Just take a chance with me, come to dinner. Nothing to be afraid of, just one innocent dinner with a nice guy like any man and woman would to get to know each other.”

“I was just always taught never to get into someone’s car you don’t know them,” I bit my lip, whispering I was so frightened, “you seem like a nice guy, but I’m sorry. I just don’t know you.”

“Why don’t you just get in the car?” His expression hardened now and his tone became threatening.

I blinked hard at him in shock. He had been so warm and nice, like I really might be able to trust. The vibe I was getting was of such a gentleman, but now his demeanor flipped like a quarter. When I didn’t move or say anything he looked offended now.

“do you have any idea who I am? I run a multi billion dollar company… I have six cars, a jet and own four buildings in this stinking city. I’m Travis Cartness and am not told no so just get in the car before I get frustrated.”

My eyes got huge at him in shock. The demeanor he had been wearing was gone now, he seemed like a different person. A typical billionaire douchebag that thought they were God's gift to the world. He’s been told he was at the top of the food chain for so long, he believes he is better than other people. I looked around the street to see if anyone was close by that could help me, but all I saw was a junkie looking guy in the alley beside us.

Travis's massive body was already blocking my way around the door and car. I decided I had to try so I put my head down to start pushing past him. He took my arm to jerk, me back against the car. I yelped when my back hit it and Travis put his finger in my face.

“Do you really want to make a scene?” he asked me under his breath, “please don’t make me hurt you. I really, **really** don’t want to do that. I don’t like to hurt women.”

“Please just let me go,” I began to tear up now, “you're a nice guy, I can tell. You can just let me go and not hurt me at all.”

He rolled his eyes and put his hand on top of my head to shove me down into the car. I screamed as I was shoved into it. Trying to grab the frame of the car again, I began to shout fire for someone to come help me. I didn’t get very far before I felt the car jerk as one corner of it started to sink into the ground with a popping sound.

I was let go and looked up to see the large built junkie standing at the front of Travis car with a knife in the tire. Travis stood straight to stare at him, bewildered that someone had the nerve to hurt such an expensive and exquisite luxury car. When he didn’t move any further, the junkie began to drag the knife across the front of it to get to the other front tire.

Travis shouted and covered his ears as he ran up to him. He looked more worried about the car then the scary junkie keying it with a menacing looking knife. I could see he thought the world of that car by how he was reacting to it being damaged. The junkie smirked at him as he took the knife away to jam the knife into the other front tire too.

It hissed as it began sinking too, but I was frozen watching these two men interact. I’d been slowly getting out of the car, watching them both carefully. I just knew he was about to stab Travis, but as soon as Travis got up to the junkie, he pulled the knife out to slice across his chest. It left a shallow gash in him and Travis snatched his body backwards to hold onto the cut with a shout.

“The fucks is wrong with you?!” Travis kept backing away as he took his phone out to call the cops.

“Get lost,” the junkie ordered in a horse, worn out voice.

“You get lost!” Travis had his phone up to his ear now, “yes, a guy just ah!”

“I said get lost,” the junkie came back at Travis to try and stab him again, “or stay and be cut into sandwich meat.”

“Jesus Christ! This guys crazy!” Travis turned to start running away, “yes, I’m still here, but I’m running away! Junkie sumbitch-”

And I couldn’t hear Travis anymore as he was too far away. I watched as the junkie put his knife away and walked back toward the alley like I wasn’t even there. I looked after him as I stepped around the car, feeling like I should at least say thank you, but this guy looked insane. I didn’t care though, if he was going to attack me, I was sure he would have done it by now.

“Th- thank you,” I said in a small voice.

“You shouldn’t have shook his hand,” he said in a cold aggravated voice, “letting him get you close to his car was also not smart.”

“I- I just didn’t think he looked dangerous or mean,” I glanced away embarrassed as I stood out of the car.

“And I don’t?” he snapped with an ugly voice and turned to give me a nasty snarl like face, “why are you talking to me after something like that?! Don’t you realized how stupid that is?! You were almost abducted and now you're talking to a junkie! Don’t be so damn gullible.”

He was a white man, though he was very large. His eyes were a flat brown, his nose small and his lips small with them. His hair was greying black and he had a large scar across his left eyebrow.

“But…” I was whispering now, “you helped me.”

“So I’m just the good guy now huh?” he rolled his eyes and turned to walk back into the alley, “did you ever consider I saved you for selfish reasons? So I could take you myself or rob you?”

“You certainly seem like more of a good guy then him,” I got to the middle of the sidewalk to keep looking at him. He was certainly making me nervous and frightened, but for some reason, I felt like I didn’t need to be worried about him.

“I’m the kind of bad guy that I don’t hurt you directly,” he lit up a cigarette, but when he hit it, it didn’t look like he was inhaling it very much.

“I don’t understand,” I shook my head.

“There’s people like him and then there’s people like me,” he looked at me again, “people like him physically hurt you, but people like me, my lifestyle and choices are what hurt you.”

“Do I know you?” I tilted my head to the side at him as I tightened my eyes in concentration, “I don’t know why, but I feel like I know you.”

“You don’t know me,” he chuckled sarcastically as he shook his head like he was making some personal joke I could never understand, “why don’t you go home, miss Annabella.”

“How do you-”

“You told him your name,” he hit his cigarette again, not inhaling much again, “I was here most of the time. That also was really stupid. Just so you know, you don’t talk to strangers, shake their hand, tell them your name, get close to their car or stand there like an idiot watching while a bad guy chases away another bad guy. When I was done with him, what’s to keep me from turning on you? there’s no one around to stop me right now and yet still you stand here ever as I say this.”

“You would have already done that and… and I don’t think you're the bad guy,” I said honestly.

“Your wrong,” he gave me such an angry expression now, but also with himself, “I’m the bad guy Annabella. Now get lost before I pimp you out or something. I could use a fresh girl.”

I gasped as I covered my mouth, stund at his words. I turned to walk away too quickly so that I tripped a little, but walked away and I didn’t see him or Travis again.

so here I was, in public. eight o'clock because this seemed to be the best time unless I wanted to stay out late. the closer you got to the am hours, the more jay's you see and that's always nice to avoid. I went through the self check out with the girl i liked. she had been working here for a while and I knew when she or a lot of the other girls worked so I could avoid having to speak with a boy. She’d invited me to go to a movie with some of her girlfriends, maybe go shopping, but I couldn’t be reckless. Not only that, but what would that mean if something happened when I was with them?

I will say it made me feel really good though… I smiled at the pavement… I know I’m not a teenager anymore, but the little girl in me who never got invited to go shopping, I feel pretty good about myself right now. With a bit of bounce in my step I made my way down the street with my two bags. my apartment building was only three blocks away.

what I also liked about this street is that it was a nice part of town so the people that I ran into here weren't terrible at least by gothams standards. I mean this is the big city you always have a chance of violence, but everytime I walked by someone in this part of town I didn’t have to fear being stabbed constantly. I hummed a bit under my breath so I was the only one who could have heard it even though I was alone.

Swinging my bags back and forth, I feel very satisfied with life at the moment. I was halfway to the end of my block where the door to my apartment building was. I looked down to start digging into my purse for my keys. I had to stop to pull out my wallet to find them. When I looked up there was a man watching me leaning against the wall in front of me. Before I even took him in I was already feeling fearful because his body language… he was almost leaning towards me, his head tilted to the side as his eyes were tight at me.

He was short for a man and had to be some kind of latino. His hair was long enough that he had to move it out of his way and it looked very greasy. He had a medium gold chain that had Savage on it in large diamond encrusted letters. His clothes were of the Ed hardy style, gaudy and the word peacocking came to mind. His upper lip curled over his teeth aggressively before he went to hit his cigarette.

When he did, he also looked me up and down then flicked the cigarette towards me. It landed in front of me to roll to my feet and I glanced at the disgusting cancer stick at my feet for a second. The smell made my nose curl. My chest immediately tightened and my throat went dry. I swallowed hard and had to clear my throat when it stuck. He tilted his head to the side at me suspiciously, keeping his lips pulled over his teeth showing his silver grill as we stared at each other.

I had no idea what to do. If I turned around to walk the other way where would I go and not only that, but that might offend him causing a reaction. What if he followed me too? He was between me and the door to the apartment building though. I had to get home. If I went home past him he might follow me up the stairs to my apartment or at the very least know I lived in this building.

“ay girl,” he addressed me with a heavy Spanish accent, “you gotta a man?”

I kept looking at him, unable to move or respond in any way.

“oh come don't leave a nigga hanging,” he said and then stood up off the wall. 

When he started walking towards me I took a step back. I nodded my head yes to his question not wanting to give him a reason to think I was available.

“An he jest gon let you wal aroun ah night en Gotham? He don’t soun like no good man to me. I'll treat you right. I can get your number?”

He was getting closer to me and I was still backing away. I started stepping to the side away from him and then forced myself to push forward to get past him.

“oh you just ain’t gone answer a nigga?” he says a little offended.

“Um… I have a boyfriend,” I said as I passed him, but he reached out to take my arm.

I jumped and gasped to freeze in place. I stared at him wide eyed and terrified. Now that he had a chance to look into my face more fully, his eyes tightened at me. I took his hand to push it off and surprisingly he allowed it. I took a few startled steps back, my grocery bags shifting loudly at my jerky movements.

“Peace mama. I ja wanted to taught for a sec for you to diss me without even giving a G a chance. where yo man at?”

“At our apartment,” I said in a small voice and turned to walk away again.

“Yeah, yeah. see you roun tease.”

I covered my mouth at the low blow he just dealt me. Ow... that one hurt. I hated being called a tease more than anything. When I finally made it in my apartment, I slid down the back of the door with my hands on my head. Wow, that was incredibly stressful. I hated when stuff like that happened. No matter how careful I was, stuff like that happened sometimes, but what could I do?

I refused to just hide away forever. All I ever wanted was to feel normal and have freedom. I can’t let them take that away from me, or else they win. After I collected myself I got ready for bed and laid down for the night. A four days later I saw him again. He was going up the stairs, I'm assuming going to his own apartment.

“Well, well. wha's up Mama. You gon gimme tha number?” He put his hand on the wall in front of my face to ensure I could go no further. I started backing up the stairs so he comes with me, “You a nervous little kitty cat, ain't you? Com'on, lemme get those diggets."

“I- I have a boyfriend,” I studdard and shook my head at him, stopping as he was just coming down with me and I didn’t want him to get me against the wall.

“well that doesn't mean we can't be friends” he snickered.

I just shook my head and went up another step so he does the same.

“You been pushed around a lot, I can tell by how you actin. Your man rough with you? I'll treat you right,” his smile grew to show his silver grill as he leaned heavily on the railing. God his breath reeked of cigarettes and like someone who really needed to floss.

“I- I’m sorry. I'm not interested,” I crossed my arms protectively across my chest and put my head down a little.

I turned to go back down the stairs though I wasn't sure where I could go. He grabbed my arm to stop me. When he did I jumped backwards so hard I fell. Grabbing me at the top of both of my arms to stop my descent, he comes in close to me. I pushed against him, but unlike last time he did not release me. Instead he pushed me against the wall and held me there. I shrank into it as much as I could. putting my hands up between his grip I pushed my shoulders up. His eyebrows came together and his mouth got more aggressive.

“Nah you need to calm down. don't know why you actin like i'ma hurt you or somethin. I'm jest tryin to get to know ya, but you makin it difficult,” he said as he drew very close to my face and I shut my eyes as I whimpered a little. His stinking breath woffed over me and I wanted to gag.

“I'm sorry,“ I gave him. I was desperate to keep him from getting angry, “it’s just I- I have a boyfriend.”

“And I told you I just wanna be yo friend. Maybe you like what you find. thin we go from there, no obligation. So how bout you give me that number? Or betta yet, is yo man home now?” he asked a little less aggressive, “he abusive. that why you actin this way, i know it. Yall all act like this when that happens. Letme take care of it.”

I started shaking my head fiercely. Surprisingly he let me go and took a step back.

“Wha's ya name?” he asked.

I just stared up at him, my lips trembling a little as my mouth was open in a frown.

“I said wha's ya name?” he said with more irritation and domination in his voice.

“An- an- annabella,” I stuttered. 

“Ya got a last name anna?” he pushed. Ugh, he called me anna...

“N- no,” I was scared he would think I was lying, but i couldn't think straight enough to come up with one.

“It’s ah rhetorical question," His brow hardened at me.

"Spades," I just threw out the first thing I could think of.

"Annabella Spades,” He repeated, “Just think about it, huh? I'll see ya round."

He turned to continue up the stairs. I watched after him absolutely shocked he hadn't done anything else. He went up what sounded like three more flights of stairs above me then I heard a door open and shut. I hurried down the stairs to get outside as far away from him as possible. I shook it off and started going to the store.

I didn't get very far before I stopped and leaned against the brick wall to put my head in my hands. I started crying softly, not in shock or panic. I just had no idea what I was about to do about this and not only that, but I felt like I was losing this battle of just trying to be normal. Every week or so someone would bother me in some way, make me feel uncomfortable and I was starting to feel so hopeless.

I could contact Batman, but he’d enough on his plate. This monitor wasn't for every time someone gave me a hard time. He's not my personal bodyguard. If I trigger it every time something like this happens he would get fed up and might not come to help me when it really matters. Not only that, but it seems I had a lifetime of all this and he wouldn’t be around forever. I was also embarrassed that I couldn't deal with something like this on my own. Most women might go to the police, but that would put me in the system and expose me to more men. What if he gets more pushy or ge-

"Miss Annabella," a deep voice interrupted my train of thoughts to send me stumbling backwards to the ground.

I shrieked and threw my hands up only to drop them when I realized I knew that voice. He let go of the window seal, one of his feet against the wall to brace himself. He was holding onto the window one floor above me and when he let go he pushed off away from the wall, his cape came out hard around him as the wind audibly whipped past it. He landed so perfectly, there was no sound. I stared up at him, sniffling a few times.

He walked towards me slowly and put his hand out to help me off the ground. I stare at it a second longer, but he waited politely as he looked down to me with questions in his eyes. I swiped away my tears quickly, embarrassed, and took his hand hesitantly. He pulled me up then put his hand on my back to lead me into the alley as his eyes scanned all around us for anyone who might see us talking. Once we were deep in it he took his hand off my back and back away two steps to give me space. The alley stunk, like all of Gotham did, but the allies were always worse.

"What happened?" He got right to the point.

"Nothing, just a panic attack. I'm fine. thank you though," I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away. His eyes tightened at me suspiciously. I shifted in place and glanced around, "What?"

"Why won't you tell me?" He pushed.

"Because nothing happened. I'm not hurt or anything."

"That doesn't mean something didn't happen," he said hard. Then he started trying to pull the same thing he did on the roof.

"Is it a man?" Yes my reaction probably told him, but before he could get any further I cupped my hands over my ears, shut my eyes and turned away from him, "Dont! Please dont! I don't like that!"

I was moving my hands over my ears constantly to make sure I couldn't hear him. I had to at least try and handle this myself. How could I ever have any form of independence? I won’t give up so easily on independence. not only that, but he wasn't my babysitter. This guy has left me alone twice now. who's to say I might be panicking for nothing.

Besides, it's not like he’d threatened or hurt me. What's Batman gonna do? Throw him in jail for asking for my number? I felt his hand come on my shoulder very slowly and softly. I turned to face him. He had the other hand up and nodded at me to tell me he wasn't going to keep going. I dropped my hands and turned the rest of my body back to him.

"I'm sorry. Please tell me what happened," he asked in his stale tone that gave away nothing.

"I- i- um…" he made it so hard to concentrate, "nothing that you should involve yourself in."

"But something that was enough to make you feel physically threatened. You had a similar incident three nights ago, but it was over fast. I arrived sixteen minutes after, but you were okay so I dismissed it. It has happened again. The first was across the street and tonight in your building on the stairs. If someone is making you uncomfortable in this area, I would like to know," he finished. 

"You came to check on me?" My eyes had grown widder as he spoke. He said in the stairs and across the street. Man, this thing is accurate.

"Does that bother you?" he asked.

"Do you do that often?"

"I will always check on you if your readings suggest possible danger if I can," he answered.

His body language was stiff as always and his expression blank besides the tightness in his eyes which was almost always present.

"Is it someone who lives in your building?" He asked.

"Batman… " I pinched the bridge of my nose, "you can't be bothered with every jerk on the street who gives me a bad feeling."

"I can if they make you feel endangered. There have been times you have been bothered, but not like this."

"How could you know that?" I wondered if he had been spying on me.

"Your bracelet tells me if your heart rate or breathing spikes. This was a bigger spike than usual and lasted longer."

"But you would know if I was in real danger, right? Like it would be different from what you picked up tonight?"

"Yes."

"Then don't worry about it. I'll never get through life like this. I can't just call you every time some tiny thing happens and I can't expect you to come every time either. Thank you, really I mean it, but let's not jump the gun over what could be nothing."

His eyes tightened so much they were slits and his mouth went into a hard line, but he nodded once at me in acknowledgement. I felt like he wasn’t going to let this go so easily.

"Will you contact me if it gets worse?" He asked.

"I will," I lied and I nodded back at him a few times.

I would only if it got out of hand. He tilted his head sideways at me. It was like I could feel that he knew I was lying, which wouldn't surprise me. I felt like no one could get away with lying to him. Plus I was a crummy liar.

"you’re okay now?" He asked.

"Yeah… um. I'm good now, thank you. It's nice to know I've got someone in my corner, " I smile a little absentmindedly. When I realized I had and put my head down. That normally didn't end well for me.

"You’ll never need to thank me. Contact me if anything changes," then he pulled his grapple gun out and zipped up to the top of the building.

I expected him to get onto the top of it, but instead he kept flying up into the air over it. When I came home after my trip to the store I crept down the street unsure about how I should handle it if I ran into him again. I knew I would eventually. He’d made it clear he wasn't giving up that easily. I just had to grow some backbone and tell the creep a straight no. Not I have a boyfriend or I'm not interested.

Just no… I could handle that right? It's two letters that make up a simple one syllable word. N O. Easy peasy. I got to the corner of my building and stopped to peek around it. He wasn't there and so I walked at a quick pace to the front entrance. As I made my way up the stairs I did the same. Moved at a quick pace and leaned around to gain more line of sight before I turned to go up another flight.

My apartment was on the fifth floor and I was almost to the last one. As I turned to get up the last flight I was relieved to see it completely empty. I already had my keys out and rushed inside to slam and lock it behind me. I leaned against it heavily as I took a huge breath. Wow. That was pathetic. So much for backbone. My heart was beating so hard… Three days later I was checking my mail when I saw him again.

He was coming in from the main entrance and I kept my head down. I hadn't seen who had entered, and I wasn't going to bring attention to myself by looking in their direction and risking eye contact. Their steps were heavy, like a man's and so I definitely wasn't going to. I acted like I was looking thro my mail.

Normally I’d do it upstairs, but I didn't want to get stuck going up the stairs with what I was sure was a man. So I would wait until they were at least one flight above me. A tan hand pressed into the metal mail boxes with a smack right next to my head. I threw all of the envelopes around me and stumbled back a few steps.

"Sup toots. ain’t seen ya in ah while. How you doin?" He began gathering my mail from the ground, “di-in mean ta scare ya,” he tried to hand me my mail, but when i didn't take it his eyebrows came together in irritation, “Now your just being rude.”

My mouth opened in indecision and I stared at the mail. The longer I took the more displeased he looked so I slowly and hesitantly took it from him. He smiled satisfied, then looked at one of my envelopes he’d kept.

“parment twenty-three,” he smirked down at my mail and then at me, “walk ya to yo door?”

“I- um… i…” I took a deep breath and put my hair behind my ears, “no.”

I couldn't believe I managed it, but I couldn't give him the wrong idea.

“Aw don’t be like that,” he waved me off and took my arm to begin tugging me to the stairs. I gasped and leaned back, “I won’t bite.”

I shook my head as he began to drag me to the stairs. I had locked my knees in place, but he just pulled harder until my flats went over the floor. Then I put my hand over his to try and get it loose, unable to protest any other way. He looked over his shoulder at me and smirked.

“Why you so scared?” he pulled up one corner of his mouth in mocking confusion, “you oughta be flattered someone wanna get to know ya so bad. I know a good girl when I see them and,” he smacks his lips, looking, me up and down so that I tug on his arm a little, “girl, I need some of you in my life and not abou ta le you write ol Savage off that easy..”

Then the front door to the building opened and a lady walked thro. She stopped to look at us both. Seeing his body language compared to mine she looked concerned. He waved at her, gave me my mail, then turned to go up the stairs while I stared after him. The lady went about her business to go up as well. I walked backwards, keeping my eyes on the stairs, with my arms behind me probing for the wall.

When I found it I braced myself against it heavily and leaned over on my knees to try and calm myself. Okay this was really getting out of hand. I would have to move if this got much worse… but how long at a new location before I ran into the same problem. Not only that, but I could barely afford to buy clothes. I couldn't stay here though, he knew which apartment I was in and I was starting to be sure he wouldn't stop this.

I wasn't above contacting Batman at this point, but I had no way of knowing how long he could take to get here. The thought of dragging him into this made my stomach churn, but not more than that creep did anymore. I grabbed my bracket and clicked it five times in case my vitals weren't enough after what I said the other night.

I pushed myself off of the wall and hesitantly started up the stairs. I had to get out of the open and back to my apartment. I knew the door was sturdy enough it couldn't be kicked in and it had a huge deadbolt. It was one of the reasons I picked this place. Like last time I snuck around trying to see him before he could see me in case he was waiting for me, only this time I moved a lot faster.

I closed my eyes for a second to take a few large breaths to try and focus. I peeked over the last floor before I went up it in the stairwell. There was no one there. Maybe he would wait another few days before trying me again. I ran up to my door to unlock it, but before I could turn the lock I heard someone coming down the stairs. I looked up to see it was him.

I froze in complete fear to stare up at him for several seconds before I looked back down to try and turn my key. As soon as I did though, he was already to me, looming over me as I pressed into the door frame. I looked up to him again as I froze. If I got the door open and he shoved me inside then it would be a lot worse than being in the hall with him. We would be a lot more alone then.

“Wha you waitin for?” he smiles, looking at the door a moment, “I wanna see your place.”

“My- my boy-” I began to lie.

“You ain't got no boyfriend,” he chuckled at me as he shook his head, “but you do now.”

“I- I- what?” I shook my head at him confused at how serious he sounded and looked at me.

“I said you gotta a man now,” his smile widened, “so let’s get to know eachother better.”

He reached for my keys that were still in the door. I moved my body in front of it. Clearly he must have misunderstood or read my singlas wrong because I never meant to give any kind of impression that I wanted a boyfriend, let alone him as a boyfriend and or wanted him in my apartment. I don’t see how he could have, but he was being so nonsensical about it, like it was clear the both parties wanted to date, like we we’re already together or something… what else was I supposed to think?

“I don’t want a boyfriend,” I squeeked up at him and swallowed hard, “I- I’m flattered, really thank you.”

“Well you got one,” he put his hand against the door right beside my head as he leaned into me. I shranked away from him as I pulled my shoulders up around me, “you my girl now.”

“I- I’ve got to go…” I stuttered up to him as it began to click in my head that this was no misunderstanding at all.

Without taking my eyes off his, reaching behind me to grab my keys in the lock so I could get the door open. At this point I knew all I could do was hope that this was just an intimidation technique, that he was using the implication of danger to try and manipulate me, not that he would resort to real violence. As soon as the keys jingled though, he leaned in closer until his face was two inches away from mine.

“Let me help you,” he cooed at me just like Johnny used to as he reached behind me to grab the keys to the door. I panicked as his arms went around and behind me and jerked back away from him. He took my arm to hold me in place, “This cain be easy or hard, including the getting to know eachother better part.”

“Please…” I shook my head at him and teared up, “I- I don’t want a… a… a… a boyfriend…”

“But you ain’t even gottin to know me yet,” he snickered at me in a sarcastic tone as he picks up a lock of hair to sniff, “I promise you won’t be disappointed if ya jest leme take care of you. Tust me Anna, I know how to please a women.”

“Pl- please don’t do this…” my tears ran down my cheek, thick and continuous now.

“Why you so scared?” he tilted his head to the side with a mocking smirk, “it don’t have to be unpleasant less you make it tha way. You’ll enjoy if.”

“No…” I began to pull back away from him, “I don't want to!”

“Hard way then?” he laughs and jerked me forward to him, “doesn’t matter, you’ll enjoy it whether you admit it or not.”

“No!” I pushed my hand against his chest and tried to jerk my arm away.

“Bitch!” he said harshly like he couldn’t believe the audacity of my defiance, “you gonna learn real quick to do as I say.”

He took my other arm to shake me a little, then turned me to face the door, pushing me against it. I hit my apartment door face first hard and he took my hair to turn my face to look at him so that my cheek pressed against my door. I was crying quietly in complete shock now as I had frozen, too afraid of what he would do if I tried to fight him again. My hands were up beside me against the door too and then I felt his entire body press into me.

He crushed me into the door until it hurt, making me cry and I felt his penis, already hard against my butt. I pushed out a panicked, loud yelp and reached back to push my hand against his waist as I shook my head. I heard my keys jingle around as he grabbed them to start turning the lock as they were still in the door.

“Damn you so fine,” he got right in my face to speak to me in a sensual voice and I pushed out harder panicked cries at his words, “coke bottle, five star. Can’t wait to taste-”

I screamed when glass shattered in the hall above us in the stairwell. He had my head turned that way, so I could also see the window as well, but all I saw was darkness. I shut my eyes and turned away with hands cupped around my face. Savage lets me go to back away in defense as he yelled too.

Backing away from the door, I went sideways away from the breaking glass several feet. When I turned back to see what was happening, Batman had him by the throat holding him in the air with one hand. I was in utter shock at how fast he had gotten here, it was impossible actually. He would have had to have been here already because it couldn't have been more than three minutes since I clicked my bracelet or maybe five senses he scared me at the mailboxes.

As I watched, Batman held him in the air. I slowly backed into the wall behind me and when I reached it, I slid down until I was on the ground with my knee bent in front of me. I stared up at them both, with wide terrified eyes, still unable to move further. My hands were on the ground beside me, shaking over the ground as a small whimper came out of me..

"Eduardo Garcia, also known as Savage, you are wanted for various crimes," Batman said, level and calm.

Then he slammed him on the ground so fast his back legs didn't hit the ground for a second or two after the rest of his body. Eduardo gasped when Batman let go of his throat from having the breath knocked out of him. He reached into Eduardo's jacket going straight to where his gun had been, then he went straight to two more places on him where he had knives. He disassembled the gun into as many pieces as were possible to put the spring in his belt with the knives. Then he finished patting down the rest of him.

"ain't no super criminal holmes!! You bustin a nigga up for trying to get some trim?" He gasped.

"You’re on camera participating in a drive by four days ago that killed someone and injured three others," then Batman grabbed his throat, lifted and slammed him back face first into the ground.

He took out black zip ties to secure his hands then grabbed him by his arm and lifted him easily to drag him up the stairs to the shattered window. No matter how much he tripped or almost fell Batman kept pulling him up the stairs. Eduardo barely managed to keep upright.

"Ease up Batfuck!" Eduardo yelled, but Batman ignored him. When they made it up the stairs to the window Eduardo started to panic, “No way you takin me thro that window!” 

Batman threw him over his shoulder as Edwardo began to kick violently to try and get him to let him go. Batman didn’t seem to notice and kept a firm grip around the back of his knees. taking out his grapple gun to secure the hook on the window seal, he clipped it to his belt then used it to lower them down out of my sight. I could hear Edwardo cursing in screams the whole time in a complete panic.

I still sat in the same position I’d been the entire time. Batman hadn't looked at me once, not even to ask if I was okay. He got eduardo and left, all within less than a minute. I looked around myself unsure what to do next. After a minute or two, I was finally able to pick myself up to gather the things that had fallen out of my purse I’d dropped and walked to my door. I leaned down to pick up my keys, which he must have yanked out of the lock when Batman surprised him.

My hands were shacking so badly I couldn't get my keys back in the lock. I had to stop and put my forehead against the door and take more breaths before I could finally unlock it. I turned to close and lock the door behind me. I did it so fast I didn't see the dark figure waiting for me by my window. I covered my face, still facing the door, and turned forward to slide against the back of it.

I sat that way for at least five minutes as I tried to process my own feelings from what had just happened. I honestly was in so much shock, I didn’t know how to feel right now. I finally took my hands away from my face to view the inside of my apartment for the first time. I jumped and screamed a little when I saw Batman patiently waiting for me.

“How long have you been standing there?” I whispered.

“I came up after I dropped Eduardo off with robin. He was waiting with the car to take him to the police station,” he tells me.

“Thank you for that,” I said almost in a whisper.

He nodded once in acknowledgement.

“Is there a reason you're here now?” I was still speaking in a low hollow voice that was almost a whisper.

I stood up from the ground to put my purse on the dresser next to me. I looked around uncomfortable. He was in my apartment alone with me… not something I wanted with any man though if it had to be anyone I would choose him.

“No one can know I’ve taken a personal interest in your case so I came back to check on you after he was gone.”

“I'm fine now, thanks. How did you get here so fast?” I was a little suspicious now and my eyebrows came together at him.

“You lied when we spoke about Eduardo. I watched for inevitable escalation, but wouldn't make a move until he did. I wanted you to see it’s necessary and I wasn't watching for the wrong reasons. You shouldn't wait until things get out of hand before you contact me.

“If I hadn't been close by or able to get to you fast enough he would have raped and possibly killed you. The drive by is the only solid evidence against him, but he is a suspect in many other rape/homicide cases,” he spoke almost harshly at me...

I had no response tho. He’d said rape… just the word rape me made stomach cramp after what had just happened. I put one hand on my abdomen and the other on my forehead. I felt my face drain so hard I got faint and swayed in place some. I had to grab the edge of the desk beside me, but kept one hand firm on my forehead. The shock of what I went thro was setting in more at his blunt words.

Despite me holding the desk, my balance was still failing. Then my balance wasn't the only thing falling. My sight started fading into blackness. I barely recognized hard arms coming around to lift me up long enough to put me on the bed and hold me sitting up by the tops of my arms until I regained my focus. I was able to think clearly enough now to realise he was so close to me and had picked me up. Not only that, but he was still holding the sides of my arms…

My face flashed to his, which was only around half a foot away from me now, then leaned away. I put a hand against his cold, hard armoured chest and the other against his shoulder to push him away and myself, but stopped when I looked into his eyes. His own hard emotionless expression softened and his lips parted slightly at me. I opened my mouth to speak, but could say nothing. He let me go to back away a little. 

“You’re in shock, it will pass shortly. Breathe a moment and eat something to get you blood sugar back up,” he said and was already back to his double mask that gave away nothing. His voice still has no tones of any kind.

I was in utter disbelief at how I wasn't completely freaking out about him being so close to me or the fact that we were alone. It was natural for me to push away from him at first, but now I was just floored and sat there like an idiot. He was staring right back at me like… like a rock or something, still and unmoving, no emotions, clearly not uncomfortable with prolonged eye contact even though there was no talking.

That was something I noticed about him now. Most people look away at an awkward moment like this where two people are staring at each other with no words being said and it’s not like this was a tender moment like in the movies or something. He never looked away though, it didn’t matter how stale the moment was, he would just keep staring at me obviously not caring how weird this kind of thing is as he does right now. We’ve been staring at each other for almost a solid minute now...

“Miss annabella, Are you okay?” he asked. I couldn't be sure, but his eyes looked like his eyebrows were rising at me.

“Ahuh,” I squealed out like a tiny mouse. My voice broke very hard and I cleared my throat. I broke eye contact and he stood, “I'm fine.”

“Anything else you should tell me now?” he asked firmly.

“No,” I looked up at him.

“Then I’m needed elsewhere,” he started toward the window to open it and duck through. It seemed almost impossible that he could even fit.

“Contact me if you need anything,” he said before he closed it behind him.

he pulled out his grapple gun, stood on the railing to the fire escape and with a pop zipped thro the air leaving me alone in my apartment.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..


End file.
